Home renovations rose drastically in 2020. Motivated by the pandemic, more people were forced to stay home and wanted their places to look nice.
Upgrading to hardwood flooring can be a fantastic way to make any space feel warm and luxurious. But, upgrading any part of your home is also an investment. Fortunately, you can protect this investment. With focused care and frequent maintenance, homeowners can follow easy steps to make these changes long-lasting.
National Floors Direct is an industry leader in hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring installation. With over 75 years of experience, the company offers tips for protecting and increasing the life of your new hardwood floors.
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Hardwood flooring is both durable and strong. It can withstand normal traffic, but abnormal or repeated abuse can be harmful. Limit traffic when necessary. Although children and their toys are especially troublesome, they aren’t the only culprit. Adults are responsible for damage too. National Floors Direct encourages a “no shoes inside” policy. Furry friends aren’t off the hook either. Keep your pet’s nails trimmed. Additionally, use mats, rugs and runners in high-traffic areas. Felt furniture pads work wonders underneath legs to minimize wear.
Reducing traffic helps, but regular cleaning may be the most important step. Debris, dirt and small rocks are more damaging than most realize. These are abrasive if left on the floor. When these particles are walked over, it acts like sandpaper. Daily sweeping with a microfiber dust mop is recommended. Vacuuming once a week is always a good idea. In addition to this, keep clean with only approved products frequently.
When cleaning, liquids can be damaging. Avoid water or moisture to prolong the life of your hardwood floor. Steam-cleaning and mopping seem like a good idea, but can do more problems. Wipe up leaks and spills immediately. Rain, snow or pool water can be tracked into the house and eat through your floor’s finish. National Floors Direct cautions against these weather-related issues. The company instructs air conditioning and humidity to be controlled at reasonable levels all year. In the winter, when the air is dryer, heat can cause the wood to pull apart at the seams.
Routine maintenance helps. But, over time, even the best-kept hardwood will need to be refinished. Scuffs and scratches will eventually make your flooring look dull and worn. Re-coating can bring it back to life. Refinishing is the process of removing all the existing finish, repairing any damaged wood and then placing a new protective coat. This application may restore hardwood flooring and prevent it from needing to be replaced altogether. While this may be the last result, National Floors Direct stresses that this work should be performed before any additional damage is done.
